Optical communications transceivers provide laser light and receive laser light at specific wavelengths for optical communications. Some optical communications transceivers may utilize multiple optical fibers for optical communications. For example, a particular optical communications transceiver may transmit a first beam using a first optical fiber coupled to an output port of the particular optical communications transceiver and may receive a second beam using a second optical fiber coupled to an input port of the particular optical communications transceiver. With data centers including increased quantities of optical communications transceivers, reducing a quantity of optical fibers used for each optical communications transceiver is advantageous. Similarly, with the high cost to lay new fiber optic cables (e.g. inter-state, submarine, etc.), reducing a quantity of optical fibers used for each optical communications transceiver is advantageous.
Thus, a circulator may be coupled to an optical communications transceiver to dynamically switch between an output port and an input port, thereby permitting the optical communications transceiver to transmit and receive optical beams using a single optical fiber. The circulator may be attached to the optical communications transceiver at a faceplate of a system rack, thereby increasing the overall size of the optical communications transceiver, and may add overall cost to the optical communications transceiver. Accordingly, obviating a need for mounting the circulator to the faceplate of the system rack and reducing an overall size and overall cost of an optical communications transceiver and optical coupler assembly would be advantageous.